


Fair Trade

by iceyly



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-23
Updated: 2014-03-23
Packaged: 2018-01-16 18:38:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1357795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iceyly/pseuds/iceyly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One Shot, post-final duel, spoilerish(?) - "So explain to me again, why the hell should I go for this trade?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fair Trade

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by tumblr's worstpossibledokis' speculation, that Ryoga and IV ended up swapping III and Vector, so that III could go to school and Vector would be occupied playing IV's PA (and have his life made hell because IV).
> 
> So yeah, my hand slipped and this is the result.
> 
> Also warning(?) for vague hints of hellsharkyness because otp likes showing. |D

Well. That wasn’t exactly what Thomas had expected to get out of this conversation.  
  
"So explain to me again, why the hell should I go for this trade?"  
  
He had  after all come to talk with Ryoga about whether and how he’d go about restoring his reputation in the professional circuit, not to swap his little brother for the greatest barian pest there was.   
  
"You owe me." is the reply he gets, which has him frowning and scowling because _excuse him_.   
  
"I owe you as far as your reputation goes. You killing me makes us even in every other matter."  
  
Especially considering that Ryoga had killed him to “affirm his destiny” or however else he wanted to word that shitty excuse, so that’s that.  
  
Ryoga waves that off with an impatient flick of his left hand, scowling right back at him. “My reputation doesn’t matter right now. Vector, on the other hand, needs to be occupied.”  
  
"And how exactly is that my problem?"   
  
It wasn’t and that’s the whole point.  
  
"You owe me."   
  
For a second, Thomas contemplates just getting up and the hell out - contrary to what most people seem to think, he does know a bad deal when he sees one - for all that he calls his little brother a pest sometimes, for all that Michael actually _is_ one (confident and pushy and terribly passive-aggressive when irked, and even after living with that for fifteen years Thomas still can’t turn him down when he asks of anything), he’s an angel compared to what he knows of Vector.  
  
And then Ryoga offers him another reason to go for it.  
  
"I’ll make sure that he behaves and does his job. He’ll listen to your every word."  
  
…Well. The bad deal just has just become a bad deal with a gimmick - at least if Ryoga can deliver his end of it - and Thomas can’t help himself as he considers it. Having someone to boss around is definitely a rather enticing prospect. Still.  
  
"Yeah? How are you going to do that?"  
  
The smirk that rises on Ryoga’s face is dangerous and promise of terrible things to happen (and very stupidly attractive in the way it sends shivers down Thomas’ spine and makes his mind wander, but maybe those are thoughts that are better to be revisited once they are done here).  
  
"He’ll listen and that’s all you need to know."  
  
Well, in that case… Thomas leans back in his chair, arms crossing as his expression fades into something more thoughtful and he considers…  
  
He had seen Michael’s reaction when he had announced taking up his dueling career again, the tiny note of wistfulness hidden beneath his encouragement of it - there are things his little brother wants to do that don’t include Thomas dragging him through half of Asia. Not that Thomas needs him, but Father insists on him having someone for company and with him and Chris occupied with their projects with Kaito and Faker, well…  
  
It would be a good solution for all of them. Michael could go to middle school if he wanted, Father’s stipulation would be fulfilled - it’s not like he had ever specified who to take with him for company - Ryoga would have Vector off his hands, if things didn’t work out Thomas could still kick him out and leave him stranded in the middle of China maybe and then he’d at last be chaperon-free.  
  
He’d have to run it by the rest of his family, but… well, it’s not like he has to mention right away _which_ Barian Ryoga was sending to accompany him.  
  
Before he agrees to anything, there is one other thing he needs to make utterly clear.  
  
"You keep an eye on Michael."  
  
Not that Michael really needs it - his little brother is and has always been tough as nails, but middle school is a new environment, for all that it would be filled with people that Michael knew already and had befriended to various degrees - but someone ought to be held accountable, if something did happen, unlikely as it may be.  
  
Ryoga just nods, he _gets_ it - how can he not, after all. He’s an older brother too.  
  
"You make Vector’s life hell."  
  
Thomas smirks in reply, wide and toothy, eyes gleaming as his creative bone kicks in and supplies him with a list of ideas just how to go about that, because far be it from him to turn down such a request from his _biggest fan_. Especially when it’s so easily arranged.  
  
"Deal."

\--- _Fin_ \---


End file.
